Huntsville Board of Education District 5 Selection Process

Updated on June 4, 2019, to reflect an alphabetical listing and to amend the language to 5.0 e

The City Council of the City of Huntsville has established the following process for its election of a Board of Education Member to fill a vacancy for an unexpired term.

1.0 Purpose

This process shall apply to the selection procedure for the election by the Huntsville City Council of board members to the City of Huntsville Board of Education to fill a vacancy in the membership caused by resignation or otherwise for an unexpired term.

2.0    Qualifications

The qualifications for the membership on the City of Huntsville Board of Education shall include the following:

1. Applicant must reside within the city limits of Huntsville and within the limits of the district to be represented for at least ninety (90) days prior to election by City Council;
2. Applicant must be a qualified elector of the City of Huntsville;
3. Applicant must not be a member of the City Council;
4. Applicant must be a person of good moral character;
5. Applicant must have obtained a high school diploma or its equivalent;
6. Applicant may not be employed by the City of Huntsville Board of Education;
7. Applicant may not be serving on the governing board of a private elementary or secondary educational institution;
8. Applicant may not be on the National Sex Offender Registry or a state sex offender registry;
9. Applicant may not have been convicted of a felony;
10. Applicant must have read and be familiar with the School Board Governance Improvement Act of 2012, found at Section 16-1-41.1 of the Code of Alabama, and shall affirm, publicly and in writing, all of the principles of educational governance listed therein; and
11. Applicant shall confirm he or she has read and is familiar with the Bylaws of the City of Huntsville Board of Education, the Standing Rules for Board of Education, Bylaws, and the Model Code of Conduct for Local Boards of Education, all of which may be found on the website of the City of Huntsville Board of Education

3.0   Advertisement of Vacancy

1. A vacancy on the City of Huntsville Board of Education, and the need to fill same, shall be advertised in a manner such that qualified candidates would be reasonably expected to become aware of the advertisement and the vacancy therein discussed;
2. The manner of advertisement of the need to fill a board membership of the City of Huntsville Board of Education shall be at the discretion of the City Council, and such advertisement shall run for such period of time as the City Council by and through its President, shall direct.
3. A copy of the process for the election of an individual to fill a vacancy and unexpired term or the City of Huntsville Board of Education shall be attached to the advertisement.

4.0   Applications

1. All applicants to fill the unexpired term created by the vacancy on the City of Huntsville Board of Education shall submit a letter of interest, and their resume attached thereto. Such submission shall include certification that the applicant has read and affirmed the required documents specified in Section 2.0. j and k.
2. All letters of interest and resumes shall be presented to the attention of the City Attorney, City Administration Building, 308 Fountain Circle, Huntsville, Alabama 35801 on or before the closing date and time specified in the advertisement above referenced.

5.0   Review of Applications

1. The President of the City Council shall appoint an Application Review Committee to review all such applications or letters of interest, and any attachments thereto. Such Committee shall consist of a total of four members with two (2) members being City Councilmembers and two (2) members that are residents of the City of Huntsville.
2. After review of all the applications, the Committee shall forward to the President of the City Council, the names of five (5) candidates recommended to be interviewed by the full membership of the City Council during a public meeting.
3. The President of the City Council shall cause the recommended applicants to be contacted and scheduled for interviews during a Work Session or Special Session open to the public.
4. The President of the City Council shall assure that any necessary communications are made with the applicants and that necessary permissions from the applicants for background or reference checks are obtained in writing.
5. The Committee shall use a weighted system for evaluation of criteria for selection of the five candidates. (As amended on June 4, 2019)

6.0    Interviews

1.  Interviews of all applicants before the full City Council, shall occur at a public meeting, preferably during a Work Session or Special Session.
2. Interviews shall consist of the applicant answering structured interview questions, as well as any appropriate follow-up questions.
3. The structured interview questions shall be designed by the City Attorney’s Office with input from the City Council President.
4. The structured interview questions shall be designed to help the members of the City Council to evaluate each applicant and provide further insight regarding the applicant’s suitability for the vacant position of the City of Huntsville School Board.
5. Each applicant selected for an interview shall be allotted at least thirty (30) minutes. Each applicant shall be expected to arrive on time for their scheduled interview, but shall not enter the City Council chamber or designated interview location during the interview of another applicant.
6. Upon request of the City Council President, the City Attorney’s Office shall prepare and make available for members of the City Council an evaluation form for use in evaluating each applicant.

7.0    Background Checks

1.  All applicants scheduled for an interview shall sign an applicable form authorizing a background check.
2. The background check shall be consistent with the policies and procedures of the Human Resources Department of the City of Huntsville, and said department shall assist in obtaining the background check.
3. Any applicant who does not satisfactorily complete the background check process will be disqualified from further consideration.

8.0     Nominations by the City Council

1. After the completion of the interview and background check process, the President of the City Council or the Presiding Officer, during a regular scheduled City Council meeting, at the appropriate time, shall call for nominations from the group of applicants interviewed to fill the unexpired term for Board Member of the City of Huntsville Board of Education created by the resignation or otherwise of the previous member.
2. Nominees for the position shall be from the pool of applicants selected for interview and who satisfactorily completed the background check process.
3. The President of the City Council or the Presiding Officer shall take the names of the nominees with no second required.
4. After the nominations have closed, the vote shall be taken in the same order as the nominations were made until a nominee to fill the unexpired term of the Board Member of the City of Huntsville Board of Education receives a majority vote of the members of the City Council.
5. The votes shall be by roll call, with yeas and nays recorded and reported by the City Clerk-Treasurer.
6. If a nominee receives a majority vote from the City Council, the Council shall adopt a resolution to signify the election and shall notify the City of Huntsville Board of Education. In the event no applicant receives a majority vote, the position shall be re-advertised in accordance with the procedures herein and the process repeated until a nominee is selected.

2019 Appointment Timeline for Huntsville Board of Education District 5 Position

Thursday, May 23
Council adopts resolution for selection procedure

Friday, May 24 through Friday, June 7
Applications accepted for District 5 Board of Education position

Friday, June 7
Deadline for applications to include receipt of Letters of Interest & Resumes to City Attorney

Monday – Wednesday, June 10-12
Application Review Committee selects 5 applicants for interviews

Thursday, June 13
City Council meeting-President to announce applicants selected for interviews during Council meeting

Friday, June 14 or Monday, June 17
Finalist candidate interviews before City Council in open meeting. Background checks performed by Human Resources on selected applicants

Thursday, June 27
City Council to nominate and vote to elect new Board member for District 5. After vote, adopt Resolution Appointing Board Member for District 5

Thursday, July 11
Adopt Resolution Appointing Board Member for District 5 if not already adopted.

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